LUZERNE COUNTY, Pa. — Governor Josh Shapiro made a stop in Luzerne County on Friday to talk about the state budget, but all eyes are on the governor for a different reason.
The Democrat is at the top of the polls as a potential presidential candidate should President Joe Biden bow out of the race for the White House.
"The president has made his decision, and I support President Biden," said Governor Josh Shapiro.
Governor Shapiro delivered a clear and concise message from the stage in Duryea Friday afternoon. The Governor did not waver in his support of President Biden's stay in the race for the Oval Office despite a growing number of calls from high-ranking Democrats across the country for the President to bow out of the election.
"I think it's super unhelpful to engage in any hypotheticals," added the Governor.
The Governor elaborated on a new Politico poll placing him as a potential Democratic candidate should President Biden step out of the race. Shapiro was one of four candidates who performed the strongest in the poll, outpacing President Biden by roughly 5 points across battleground states, including here in Pennsylvania.
"There's a clear contrast in this race and I think the focus needs to not be on hypotheticals. The focus needs to be on the particular race we have before us and the clear differences between the two candidates," added the Governor.
President Joe Biden said in a statement Friday that he was planning to return to the campaign trail next week and insisted he has a path to victory over Trump, despite the worries of some of his party's most eminent members.
Despite a divisive election cycle, Governor Shapiro had a message of unity. As the firefighter killed during last weekend's assassination attempt of former President Donald Trump was laid to rest in Western Pennsylvania Friday. The man Shapiro calls a hero.
"My message today is, let's remember Corey. Let's pray for those who were injured. Let's use this as an example of lifting up our politics and not allowing it to ever be violent and speaking out against that no matter what our views are, or party registrations are, or who our preferred candidate is," added Governor Shapiro.